Wendell Smallwood pleads guilty to federal fraud charges

Former NFL running back Wendell Smallwood has pleaded guilty to multiple federal fraud charges.

Via the Associated Press, Smallwood had been charged in October with submitting fraudulent tax returns and fraudulent applications for “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in COVID-19 aid.

Among other things, Smallwood allegedly used the Paycheck Protection Program to submit fraudulent applications in the names of at least 13 other people. Loans of nearly $270,000 were allegedly issued based on the false information, and Smallwood allegedly received kickbacks in exchange for his efforts.

Smallwood, 30, pleaded guilty to three fraud charges on Friday. He’s due to be sentenced in May.

A fifth-round pick in 2016 from West Virginia University, Smallwood played for the Eagles, Washington, and Steelers. He was a member of the Super Bowl LII championship team.